Zanna
by PinkyandtheBrainfan88
Summary: This is a random story I've thought of based on "Pinky and the Brain".  I hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Pinky and the Brain (And Zanna) Chapter 1**

The rain came down in shocking torrents, cold and chilled, thanks to the freezing autumn sea breeze coming in from the Atlantic.

Luckily, Zanna was sheltered in her cage, but as the wind occasionally swept the rain about in all directions, a few pelted her fur and made small puddles in her cage, as she was carried along by a scientist, who held the cage like a bag, whistling as he sprinted across the dripping streets.

Zanna was not used to this kind of cage. She was glad that it kept out most of the rain, but the fact that she could only see out from the sides and not above to the sky, made her feel trapped and claustrophobic. Most of the time she could free herself by making some sort of contraption to unlock her cage door, but here she only had a water bottle and food pellets and it was not worth escaping right now just to see the sky.

Earlier, Zanna had overheard that she was being transported to Acme Labs, a very advanced laboratory on the East Coast of the United States. It would make a huge difference from London, where most of the students who tested on her or had helped advance her intelligence were pre- Gap Yah boys and girls, who thought they practically owned the laboratory and that the rest of the world was inferior to the land of the British, or English, at least. Zanna was not sure she had ever met a mouse with an American accent, but she had heard American accents often enough on the computer screen through which the scientists watched the news in the laboratory. Zanna generally thought well of humans who did not work in laboratories and she thought people like Barrack Obama seemed like nice enough men. She loved chatting to men, disguised as a tiny woman. They almost always ending up being seduced by her, although all she did was chat about science and engineering. That seemed to be the way to attract a mate nowadays, making yourself out to be a totally smart geek.

Finally, Acme Labs came into view. Zanna, who had a fair knowledge of architecture, classical and modernist, admired the unusual shape and colour of the building, with its large neon letters spelling out: ACME LABS. She also appreciated the large amount of green space in the surroundings of the building and looked forward to playing there when she escaped out of her cage. There was very little green space outside Peabody's Labs, where she had been born, had grown up and had been made super-intelligent by the use of a machine that a team of scientists at the Laboratory had designed and engineered. To think that _she _was unique among all mice, as intelligent as a human, indeed, more intelligent than most humans, was an absolutely wonderful thought. Zanna pondered over this pleasant fact as the door to Acme Labs was opened and her welcoming new home environment came into view.

Zanna saw to her pleasure and excitement, once they had gone through the cosy reception area, that the laboratory room itself was much larger, more open and had _much more_ equipment than the laboratory room at Peabody's Lab. The ceiling was very high, possibly too high for anything anyone would want to do in the Lab, but for Zanna it was much more lovely and interesting than the ceiling at Peabody's.

"Welcome to your new home, mousey," one of the Acme Labs scientists smiled cheesily as he took Zanna's cage from the Delivery Scientist. Once details were exchanged, Zanna's enclosure was placed on a work-surface of the lab, the door to her cage was unlocked and she was taken out by hand and carried to another cage. As she reluctantly let herself be taken to her "prison," Zanna glanced at all the equipment close by that she could not look at so closely before. She saw a whole range of different electron microscopes, colorimeters, telescopes and different kinds of metals and spare machine parts, all of which excited her considerably and raised her hopes even more.

Her cage, Zanna was pleased to see, was a little bigger than the one in which she had resided at Peabody's and she had a good view of much of the open space in this Laboratory room. She let her new scientist acquaintance lock her cage door and walk out of the room, shutting the main door behind him.

Once Zanna was sure there were no humans in sight, she examined her close environment for an easy means of escape. She realized, to her pleasure, that within reach, was a spare broken shoelace that must have been dumped there for later repairing. Zanna reached her arm through the bars and drew in the shoelace, pondering and looking around.

With satisfaction and excitement did Zanna then comprehend that, above her cage, a few feet away, was a shelf, on which a pair of scissors lay. They lay in just enough reach so that Zanna could throw up the shoelace through the bars of her cage, so the aglet on the end could catch on the scissors, which meant that the scissors could then be dragged down on to the top of the cage, where Zanna could reach them and slip them down with her paws, where she could use them to break open the lock of the door and run free.

The escape procedure took ten minutes and it was only afterwards that Zanna realized that her actions would have been caught on a tiny CCTV camera, right in the other corner of the room. Ears drooping slightly in dismay, but still hoping that no-one had been watching the film, Zanna slipped ran down from the work-surface onto the floor, ran out of sight of the speed camera, sprinted across the room and was just about to go up onto the work-surface across from her cage, when from behind the corner of the drawers underneath this work-surface, came out another lab mouse.

The whole room stank of mouse, which meant that Zanna had not been able to sniff out this particular mouse as she had approached him. Neither had he, so they both paused and stared in surprise as their eyes met at the same time.

The first thing the two noticed about each other, was that they were both lab mice who had been intelligent enough to escape out of their cages. The next thing they both noticed about each other was that they had two unusually large heads, suggesting a similar level of brain capacity, which they had both assumed were unique for themselves.

The male mouse was the first to speak: "Who are you?" he asked in a confused manner.

Zanna could not help smiling at this mouse's American accent. He had a very attractive deep voice, totally different from the squeaks and NARF's of all the pre-field mice she had had the unfortunate experience of trying to converse with at Peabody's.

"I'm Zanna," the newcomer replied. "I'm new to Acme Labs, just thought I'd try and sort out that CCTV camera so I don't get caught and put back in my cage."

The male mouse's eyebrows raised, then he gave a small smile, which made him look much different than the cynical, grumpy looking mouse he had been before. "Oh don't worry about that, Zanna, I dealt with that a long time ago. For some reason, even though the people who work here installed a CCTV camera, no-one has ever been appointed to look at it, so no-one misses it now that it's disconnected."

Zanna looked in surprise at this Acme Lab mouse. She started to feel a little bit irritated. "Oh, that's reduced my appreciation for this lab considerably. It has a much vaster array of equipment from the Lab I used to live in and it's such a nice building, too. To think that they don't even check the results of a CCTV camera shows the organisation here very slack and it shows the system to be poorly managed. If _I_ ran this place I'd get that sorted out, but seeing as I'm a mouse who'd _like _to continue escaping, as do you, it seems, I might as well not waste my time. Although I _could_ do, seeing as it's easy enough to pretend to be a human."

The other mouse blinked and paused, not sure what to say. He had not met such an eccentric, random mouse before since his current "room-mate", although _that mouse_ was mad, eccentric _and _random. "Sorry, I've been very rude, let me introduce myself. My name is the Brain and I'm the mouse who's been here longest at Acme Labs. At the moment I'm thinking up plans to try and take over the world." Realizing he could impress this mouse, the Brain explained how he was planning to insert a hypnotic substance into all the new polio vaccines, which, when injected, would distract enough humans for him to assume control as Overlord.

Quizzically, Zanna responded, "Goodness me, you seem to me to be the most intelligent mouse I have met _and_ the most ambitious. Pray, how is it come about that you have a desire to take over the world and have managed to ruin the CCTV system in this room?"

The Brain gave a small smile. Usually he did not like being interrupted in his plans, but there was something about this mouse that was strangely appealing. "A long time ago, the scientists at Acme Labs built a machine that could make me more intelligent. Since then, I have had a much fuller and knowledgeable understanding of the world and have wished to bring everyone in it under my rule!"

Shocked, Zanna replied: "But that happened to me! I used to live in Peabody's Lab, in London, where they developed a machine that made me intelligent as I am. I can hardly remember a day when I didn't know the Fermi-Dirac Distribution Function or could explain the workings of the Pentagon IT systems."

Zanna was shocked and jealous at the comprehension that she had competition in terms of mouse intelligence, but the Brain was even more shocked and jealous. Angrily, he stepped forward and shoved his face in Zanna's.

"Whatever you do, _do not_ try and stop me from taking over the world! UNDERSTAND?"

Zanna, relieved, laughed genuinely. "Oh, thank goodness, if _that's_ all you're worried about, then you've no need to fret. I haven't the faintest intentions of taking over the world, especially as a genetically altered lab mouse seems to be on his way to accomplishing that feat already. But just out of curiosity, how many times have you tried to take over the world?"

The Brain was relieved at Zanna's indifference for world domination, but his face fell and his ears drooped at her question. "Over a hundred," he sighed, ashamedly.

Concerned, Zanna put a paw on the Brain's shoulder. "Aw, it's OK, the Brain. Just remember that if you do take over the world, you'd probably be a much better ruler than any of the nation leaders in today's world."

The Brain's expression lightened and he smiled. "Why thank you Zanna. But how would you know that I'd be better?"

Zanna replied confidently, "Well, for one thing, you didn't look confused when I mentioned the Fermi-Dirac Distribution Function and most world leaders wouldn't have a clue about quantum statistics and that when I say: for any system of identical fermions in equilibrium, the probability that a quantum state of energy, E, is occupied, it am describing the Fermi-Dirac Distribution Function. Wait… All those spare parts randomly assembled on the work-surface over there…" Zanna pointed. "They're all yours, aren't they? You're planning to build some kind of machine or gadget for taking over the world, not necessarily now, but at some point? I bet you even organize where everything lives in this lab, I couldn't understand how people who don't bother fixing CCTV cameras could sort everything in this lab so well."

The Brain was blushing with a new kind of pride. "Well…" he shuffled his feet like a little child. "I do admit, I _do _organize some of the equipment in this lab. Some of course, is done by the _good_ scientists here, but…"

Suddenly, the two were interrupted by another escaped lab mouse sliding down and landing behind the Brain. He came out from behind the Brain to look at the newcomer, his smaller head cocking with interest. "NARF, hello, my name's Pinky, what's your name?"

_Oh dear, not another narfster_, thought Zanna with some irritation, having heard that word perhaps too much when she was forced to stay in the same cage as other lab mice at Peabody's. She politely told the mouse, however,

"Hello, I'm Zanna. I've just arrived from London. Are you a friend of the Brain's?"

"Oh yes, ZORT!" Pinky replied, squeezing the smaller, more grumpy mouse in a brotherly hug. "Brain's my _best friend_, I help him take over the world every night!"

"Let me go or I shall have to hurt you," murmured the Brain as his skull and cerebellums were squeezed by his happy accomplice. Pinky replied, "Oh right, sorry Brain," and did so accordingly.

Zanna, surprised at what Pinky had just said, asked, "You do, do you? And _how _exactly do you help in trying to take over the earth?"

Pinky paused, then answered, "Well, I come along and maybe help with preparing his machines and gadgets, then I do something silly and screw up his plans and go back to the Lab, NARF!"

"Why do you have to humiliate me?" the Brain asked angrily, grabbing Pinky from just above the nose.

"That's just what I happen do, Brain," Pinky tried to say embarrassedly, but he did not manage very well seeing as his jaws were being locked in the Brain's paw.

The Brain, sighing, let go of his companion and told Zanna, "Yes, you see, I have no-one else to help me. Not only is Pinky the most willing of mice to help me in my task to dominate the world, but he also _can_ help me. And it's not always his fault that my plans fail, often it's mine, or it's out of our control."

Zanna cocked her head with a curious sadness. "So Pinky doesn't actually want to take over the world himself?"

"Oh _no_," Pinky answered for Zanna. "_Brain_ wants to take over the world, not me. Besides, I'd be no good, I'm too stupid and silly willy."

The Brain smiled a little and there was a silence, as an idea formed in Zanna's head.

"Three heads are better than one and six paws can get on with handiwork _much _faster than four. I don't see myself staying in my cage all day, growing old, running on my wheel and eating mouldy cheese all day. If I can ever be of any service, or if you're stuck for ideas, I'd be glad to… You know?"

"Help me take over the world?" the Brain finished for her, slightly irritated by Zanna's long-winded request.

"Y-yes," Zanna replid. "Haha, I guess I'm not used to American bluntness yet, I'll remember to spit it out more quickly in the future. If – if it's not too much trouble, I'd love to help you."

Zanna, becoming less awkward, gave a warm smile, suddenly becoming excited at the thought of the adventures that trying to take over the world would lead to. All the people she would meet, all the places and things she would see. Her life had probably been considerably locked up and solitary compared to the Brain's and Pinky's.

The Brain, though he was normally very untrustworthy of anyone he had only known for less than half an hour, was strangely reassured and pleased by this mouse's willingness, no, _request_, to help Brain reach his ultimate goal. He saw it was unlikely that Zanna would want to actually rule the world herself, she seemed to be much more of the Follower type, but she was _far_ more intelligent than Pinky and might spot things that the Brain had overlooked, or might realize when he or Pinky were about to botch up a plan. The Brain paused a little before answering, briefly considering all the possibilities, but for all the options he drew up the conclusion stayed the same as it had been when she had first announced her question.

"Yes! You shall help Pinky and I, to take over the world!"

"Ah!" Zanna exclaimed, rushing forward to shake Brain's outstretched paw and then to shake Pinky's, who was jumping up and down and laughing with enthusiasm and excitement.

"Egad Zanna, brilliant!" Pinky shouted gleefully and the new group of three wandered up to the Brain's cage, to discuss his current plan for world domination.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pinky and the Brain (And Zanna) Chapter 2**

Throughout the night, the three worked at the Brain's new plan for world domination. While Pinky _helpfully_ clipped his paw-nails, Zanna commented on the Brain's notes and added praise where due. It was all going smoothly, until Zanna noticed a flaw in the Brain's vaccination "recipe" which the megalomaniac had failed to notice in his flaring excitement.

"The Brain," Zanna added in an efficient, explanatory manner, "I've just noticed that you've decided to put 1% Thioridazine, 0.5% Trimipamine, 0.3% Ramelteon and 0.2% Olanzapine into each vaccine solution. But really the Brain, you'd need _much less_ Thioridazine and a little more Olanzapine to really make sure the vaccine has the proper effect, otherwise the humans' brains will be _more active_ and _less susceptible_ to your control."

The Brain was speechless for a moment, for two reasons. First, this mouse was clearly _as_ intelligent as he was, if not more so, in matters of hypnotic substances. Secondly, she was _criticizing_ his plans and making him feel like he was not doing _nearly_ as well as he should be. If there was anything the Brain hated, it was being told his world dominations was unsatisfactory and that he was responsible for flaws in one of his plans.

In response to Zanna's comments, he shouted in anger, gripping Zanna by the shoulder. "How _dare you_ criticize my formulae and percentage decisions!"

Zanna was not only taken aback, but she was also not sure how easily she would be able to wriggle out of the Brain's vice-like grip. "On the contrary, my good mouse, I _did not_ criticize your formulae and percentage decisions, I was merely pointing out a very er… Little mistake," she finished off politely, realizing that she had actually made the situation worse by lying about how big an error this was.

"_Little?_ Do you _realize_ that if I created bulks of the vaccines with my original percentages of Hypnotic substances, they would have not been _nearly_ hypnotic enough to change the states of minds of human beings everywhere so they would easily bow to my rule? This is a _very large_ mistake! And _you_… _YOU…"_

"_I_ saved you from wasting thousands of dollars and from making a very humiliating and upsetting mistake," Zanna finished for him, furious. She now tried to wriggle out of the Brain's grasp and he let her go, then he stormed out of the cage to go and sulk in a corner of the Lab.

Zanna, even though she knew she had been perfectly reasonable, felt very guilty at what she had done. She would _never_ want to make an amazingly intelligent lab mouse feel humiliated and stupid and the Brain had seemed _very_ angry, not just cross and irritable as she had seen he was prone to be. She sank down onto her knees and her ears drooped with sadness. Pinky, who had been watching in silence all this time, came over to Zanna and put a paw on her shoulder in an innocently sympathetic fashion.

"Aw, it's OK, Zanna. Brain has these tantrums all the time and he can't _stand it_ when he makes a mistake or realizes someone is smarter than he is."

"But I'm _not _smarter than he is," Zanna replied quietly, "That's the point. It would have taken me _way _longer than _he_ did to come up with those percentages and formulae for the constituion of the vaccines." She looked up at him, smiling, "You're lucky to have him as a companion, Pinky, even if he _does _go off and huff and sulk quite often."

"I agree. I'm _very _lucky to have Brain. I can't imagine what it would have been like _not _trying to take over the world every night. NARF!"

Zanna chuckled and stood up, feeling a little better. _Maybe_ she should not feel guilty _after all_ and the Brain would soon forgive her, just as he presumably had forgiven Pinky for unintentionally hurting his feelings over and over again.

Zanna walked over to the Brain's notes and checked them again. Other than the error she had pointed out, there seemed to be nothing wrong with his vaccine component plans. She then rechecked his procedure plan notes, how they would persuade the right people and so on, which she thought satisfactory.

Zanna then attempted to decide herself how they could manage the budget. The Brain had already said that he had enough money left over from previous money-making schemes to buy enough vaccine materials in bulk for approximately a million people, but she still tried to think of ways that they could reduce the cost as much as possible. Of course, they would not have to buy all the vaccines themselves, they would make sure that they did not put a patent on the vaccines so other companies could recreate them and market them themselves. After all, polio vaccines were in constant need and people were desperate to eradicate the disease. The Brain and Zanna were also keen to stop the spread of polio, but were _also_ keen to make sure that the Brain had the chance to become world leader.

She remembered that the Brain had suggested they buy a particular type of plastic for the vaccines and a particular type of metal for the needles. She knew there were cheaper substitutes that were almost as good and had no common unpleasant side effects, so she wrote them down on a piece of paper. Zanna was not sure how the Brain would take her money-saving ideas, now that they had had such a quarrel over her input, but she decided that she would present them more gently than she would have done before.

Just then, a voice asked, "Zanna?" The mouse looked up from her pile of notes. It was the Brain, standing just outside of the cage, appearing much calmer, but still not recovered, as seen by his slight grimace.

"Yes?" she answered nervously, not sure what her acquaintance was thinking.

"Can I speak to you for a moment please? Pinky, I'll see you soon."

"OK Brain!" Pinky called, looking up from his pile of shape puzzles, which he was struggling to complete. Lately, when the Brain had been thinking of world domination plans, he had encouraged Pinky to do something that would help _his_ cognitive skills, such as jigsaw and shape puzzles. Pinky enjoyed them quite a deal now, but still was not much above kindergarten level.

Zanna, worried but equally curious at the same time as to what the Brain wished to speak to her about, jumped over the paper on the floor of the cage, stepped out and followed the Brain into the corner of the Lab, to which he walked with his head drooped, at a quick pace. When he stopped and turned to her, Zanna halted as well and she clasped and unclasped her paws together, waiting for him to speak, her ears pricked with interest.

"I'm _sorry_... For… For my outburst earlier, Zanna. You must understand it's _very difficult_ for me to take criticism. I'm like this a great deal and I hope you become used to it."

"It's OK," Zanna speedily replied, her emotion starting up again. "I shouldn't have been so rude and hasty. And I understand that you can get so angry, if all your anger at _not_ being leader of the world is gnawing at you like a - a beaver on a piece of wood. I…"

By this point, the Brain had walked forward to Zanna and placed a paw on her shoulder. "Shh," he whispered gently. "Don't put so much blame on yourself. I forgive you. And I…" His ears drooped. "I hope you forgive me, too."

"Yes!" Zanna replied, relieved that all this mess was finally settled. As she looked at the Brain now, who was smiling slightly, she thought she detected something in her heart that _fluttered_ and she felt her head _whirl_, _somehow_, but she did not know why. "Oh the Brain, I think I might be able to endure you more now," she told him jokingly.

He chuckled and replied, "Please, call me Brain. Everyone who I can - tolerate - is allowed to call me Brain."

Zanna was, surprisingly, _pleased_ that Brain was back to his predictable, irritable old self again. It was strange, Zanna felt like she knew Brain very well now, yet the two genetically altered lab mice had only first met a few short hours ago. When she noticed Pinky come up to them both with arms open wide for a big, mushy group hug, she realized that she knew Pinky quite well too, despite the fact that she figured Pinky's randomness would remain mystifying for an indefinite period of time.

Brain grumbled as he was squeezed by Pinky, but both Zanna and his "room-mate" knew that he enjoyed it really, though he would not be likely to admit the fact.

The reconciled pack ambled to the cage and slowly and carefully, Zanna presented her new ideas to Brain. Luckily, he had not set _his_ money-making ideas so decidedly in his mind as his vaccine ones, so he was willing to accept Zanna's proposals. He told her,

"I'm glad, in a way, that you don't rush world domination plans like I do. Perhaps it's a good idea to have an intelligent associate who does not want to prevent me from taking over the world, but in fact wants to help."

"I'm glad you think so," Zanna beamed, yawning a little and stretching her arms in a childish manner. "I haven't slept for a while." She chuckled tiredly. "I think I'll have a quick nap. Wake me up when you need me," she asked Brain.

"Er… Goodnight, Zanna," Brain replied hurriedly, a little perplexed at first that Zanna was leaving the cage, until he remembered a split second later that she had her own cage to go to.

Zanna glanced back at him and grinned. "No-one's ever said that to me before." She paused, pondering. "Goodnight Brain." She was just about to walk away when she remembered her other new companion needed a good night wish as well. Waving, she called, "Goodnight Pinky!"

"Nighty night Zanna, sleep all snugly and tight, ZORT!" replied Pinky, looking up with his genuine grin. Zanna glanced at both of them again before she left, smiling back at the insanely smiling taller mouse and the slightly smiling shorter mouse. As she finally wandered off to bed, Zanna rejoiced at the fact that she had two such wonderful new companions, even if one of them reminded her a little of the vapid mice she had had to spend time with in Peabody's Lab. These two mice were both more intelligent than _any other_ mice she had ever met and she was convinced that, even if there _were_ other mice in the world even _more _intelligent than herself, Pinky and the Brain, _they_ were the _best_ mice in the world in almost every way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pinky and the Brain (And Zanna) (Part 3)**

Zanna was still sleeping soundly, her arms curled underneath her large head, when the Brain came rushing to her cage and knocked on the metal bars in quite a hectic manner.

"Wake up Zanna, _quick_, wake up!"

Zanna was quite quick at waking up and stretched slightly as she stood up and looked at a very worried Brain.

"What's the matter?" she asked with some concern.

"There's a janitor coming here with some _cats_," Brain told Zanna. "I heard from another scientist a few days ago that they might _test us _with the cats soon, but I did not realize it would be _this _soon."

"Wait," Zanna scratched her head in perplexity. "Why would they need to test cats with _us_?"

"I _think_ they're planning to test cats' speeds and reflexes after they're subjected to certain drugs and the way they're going to be testing them… Is to see and record how quickly they can catch _us_!"

Zanna gasped, her eyes widening with horror. She could not _believe _such a prestigious lab as Acme Labs could do such a cruel experiment on its mice, _especially _Lab mice like Pinky, Brain and _herself_.

Quickly, Brain took a paperclip that he had fashioned into a key shape and with it, unlocked Zanna's cage door. She hopped out, thanking him gratefully and he beckoned her to the ventilation shaft, through which they would escape.

As they ran across the work-surface, Zanna worriedly asked,

"Where's _Pinky_?"

"Oh he's already outside the ventilation shaft," replied Brain, trying to catch some breath. "Even _he _knows how to get through it, although I suspect Billie would have given him some help."

Zanna almost stopped in surprise at the mention of a new name.

"_Billie_? Who's _Billie_?"

Brain stopped, almost skidding to a halt and his ears drooped. "Erm… She's another mouse in the Lab. She's had similar treatment to me, except she's not quite as bright, her brain capacity has deteriorated over the years so she's _almost _as unintelligent as Pinky now."

"How come I wasn't introduced to her last night?" Zanna queried, hopping onto a pile of books to follow Brain to the ventilation shaft.

"We don't really socialise with her much," replied Brain, with a nervous air. "It's a bit awkward with her, Pinky and me, you see."

"How come?" Zanna asked curiously, wondering why she was feeling _jealousy_ to this mouse she had never even _met_.

"You'll see," replied Brain, as they ran through the shaft and entered the outside world, to meet the two other Lab mice waiting for them. Pinky and Billie were standing a little awkwardly together, but Pinky brightened up as soon as he saw Brain and Zanna.

"Oh _Brain_ and _Zanna_, I'm _so glad _you made it."

"Of course we did," the Brain replied a little harshly. As he began to walk off, Zanna noticed his manner becoming a little more hostile. Maybe there _was _nothing about Billie, maybe she just was not really Brain's and Pinky's type.

Although, having a closer look at Billie, Zanna started to rethink. Billie was _very _attractive. Seeing her beautifully kept, lovely hair, beautiful figure and well-maintained toe-nails, Zanna suddenly had _no doubt _that Pinky and the Brain fancied Billie. Deciding to be civil, she walked over to Billie, who had started to follow Brain and introduced herself.

"Hello, my name is Zanna, I arrived yesterday. You must be Billie."

"Yes, I'm Billie. Nice to meet you Zanna." Like Zanna, she was more polite than genuine in her civilities, but for different reasons. "I heard you and the Brain and Pinky chatting and talking last night," she added.

Zanna almost gulped with the awkwardness of the situation. "Erm… I… Was just helping Brain go over his world domination plans."

"You're _into _that sort of thing?"

"Er, yes," Zanna admitted proudly.

"Oh, I can't get my _silly _head around that _at all_," she laughed, a little more relaxed.

Zanna smiled too, also feeling more relaxed. She was a little taken aback by Billie's very… Perhaps… Unsophisticated manner and accent, but she seemed nice enough. What Zanna _did not _get was, even though Billie seemed to be Pinky's type, Pinky was hardly paying attention to her at all and was instead talking to Brain.

The Brain stopped by a large bush, under which he scrabbled and dragged out a large box. Pinky helped him to open the box and they found all the plans for the vaccines as well as a few bottles of drugs that were needed.

"Ooh, did this all come last night?" Zanna piped up with excitement.

"_Yes_, Zanna, I made the precaution of hiding it under this bush so that none of the Lab _assistants_ found it and would question its being there. They notice _some _of my activities, as you can probably understand," Brain answered in a business-like manner.

Zanna nodded, listening eagerly.

"My plan is for all of us to go _straight_ to the hospital, especially seeing as it is not safe enough for us to go back to the Lab for a while now."

"Are we going to go on _holiday_ Brain, NARF?" Pinky asked excitedly.

The Brain sighed. "Well, it's _certainly_ a trip. But I do want all of you to help."

"Even _me_?" asked Billie, a little rudely, Zanna thought. Maybe _she _was becoming jealous of _Zanna_ for having helped Brain with his plans?

"Yes, _of course_," Brain replied a little hesitantly, but then, he had to go with his word.

"So, those drugs you've got there will be enough to sample for the main Lab Scientist in the hospital?" Zanna checked.

"Yes," the Brain confirmed Zanna's question. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to mix them in a Lab environment, but perhaps the mens' cubicles in the hospital building will do."

"Ew, I'd rather not go down _there_," Billie announced. Zanna was starting to like Billie_ less_ now.

"Don't feel you have to," Brain replied. Zanna felt like shouting out, "I will, I don't _care _about being in mens' loos!" but thought the better of it for now, they could discuss it later.

After a quick stop for some much needed breakfast at a snack bar, during which Zanna, Billie, Pinky and Brain pretended to be humans and bought some nutrition bars with real money, the four finally arrived at the hospital. Brain had started to carry the drugs as Pinky's arms were very tired, Zanna and Billie felt pretty useless as they were hardly helping at all.

"Right, we'll just enter the building as human beings," Brain announced. "Pinky and I will go down to the mens' loos to mix up the drugs correctly. Anyone else want to join us?"

"Pinky might need some help with the measurements," Zanna responded, smiling. No-one objected, so Brain then decided that Billie could sit in the waiting room and read fashion magazines if she wished. Billie was a little annoyed that she was being bossed around, but agreed that this_ was _a good plan.

Zanna, pretended to be a man for the time being (as long as she put on a deep voice, no-one questioned her) as she, Brain and Pinky entered one of the necessary cubicles.

"Right, Pinky, assemble all the bottles and check their names, Zanna, you check the readings and the quality of the measuring equipment."

'Righty-ho, Brain!" Pinky cried happily.

"Yes, _sir_!" responded Zanna, so exhilirated to think that the plan was so much in motion.

Pinky had trouble reading the names, but Brain helped. Zanna was pleased to report that all of the measuring equipment was in good shape and she read out the measurements for all of them to Brain.

"_Excellent_," Brain sighed, with a mixture of exhaustion and reassurance. "Now, here are the empty vaccines, which contain inactivated polioviruses. Remember, these will be taken _orally_, so make sure there are _no _toxic substances or toxic _combinations of_ substances that will enter the vaccines."

"We'll make _absolutely _sure," replied Zanna, ready with a plastic measuring tube to take out some Trimipamine from one of the bottles.

"All right… _Go_!" shouted Brain.

It took a while, but with careful measurements and mixing of substances, all of the fifteen sample vaccines they had prepared were completed. _No-one_ would know, until it was _too late,_ what the side effects of the vaccines would be. By then, they would be so hypnotized that Brain could seize control of the planet with _very little_ objection.

"Brilliant, Pinky and Zanna, let us go and present these vaccines!" Brain told his two companions, grinning with the prospect of becoming world leader, as he so often did.

This time, as they walked out, Zanna helped to carry some of the cooled vaccines as they marched off to the waiting room to announce the news to Billie.

When the mice reached their destination, they were surprised to find that several of the young men in the waiting room were flocking around Billie, chatting to her and showing an interest in the mindless stuff that was mostly coming out of her mouth. To Zanna's slight jealousy, she saw that Brain _did not at all_ like the attention that Billie was receiving and angrily, he took her out of the waiting room, to the disappointment of all the young men who had flocked around her.

_Not only is she _way _more lucky than I am with men, but _Brain _likes her too,_ Zanna thought spitefully as she followed the other three to the reception room, where they would be granted a visit to the Head of the hospital Lab.

**Hi guys,**

**I'm sorry I've taken _so _long to post this chapter! I've been working on quite a lot of other stuff and only recently got back into _Zanna_.**

**I hope you're still enjoying this and I will do my best to post the next instalment sooner! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Pinky and the Brain (And Zana) (Part 4)**

Just before they entered the Lab, the mice had to speak to a woman at a reception desk to make sure they would be allowed in. The woman, with peroxide blonde hair and glossy red lipstick, did not seem like the kind of person who would allow scientists into a Laboratory.

"Excuse me miss!" Brain called, looking sternly at Pinky before the receptionist replied,

"_Ooh, tiny_ scientists, how _sweet!_"

Billie smiled, keeping her mouth shut, while Zanna rolled her eyes with embarrassment. She hated the words "tiny" and "sweet" when they were applied to her, _especially_ if they were applied to her in _that_ tone of voice.

Brain cleared his throat before continuing. "Yes – we are Immunology scientists from Acme Labs. We have developed a new polio vaccine which we wish to present to your Head."

"I don't think it would be very useful presenting it to a _head,_" Pinky commented, then smiling as he shouted, "But these vaccines were prepared with skill and love! NARF!"

Brain angrily grabbed Pinky's snout and let go of it quickly, so Pinky's head snapped back and shook about, making the unintelligent mouse laugh. Zanna and Brain, meanwhile, hoped desperately that the receptionist would ignore Pinky's loony comments.

"Skill and _love!_ _Aw,_ you're JUST the kind of vaccine makers we're _looking for! _ Go right in, the Head is surveying a toxoplasmosis preparation but he should be ready to speak to you in a few minutes."

"Thank you," replied Brain, thinking it ironic that _Pinky_ should be the one to promote the vaccine, even though he had no idea what the word _attenuated_ meant.

A white, bright lab met and blinded the mice as they pushed open the door and walked in. Brain, as he surveyed this particularly busy, organized room, was glad that he did not live in _this_ kind of lab. Zanna, meanwhile, remembered with some ill feeling Peabody's Lab, which was very similar to _this_ one.

They found a few waiting chairs to their right and climbed onto them, where they could all have a higher view of the hospital activities. They noticed a tall man at the other end of the room, dressed in a suit and tie, whom they guessed would be the Head.

"I wish I had a _mirror,_ my lipstick has been _messed up,_" Billie moaned.

Zanna's eyes rolled and she walked across to Billie, saying, "It's OK, I'll do it for you."

"Oh _thanks,_" Billie replied, with some surprise. "It's good having a _girl _mouse around."

_If only you actually thought that,_ pondered Zanna in her mind as Billie gave her lipstick to Zanna and Zanna applied it on much more lightly than Billie had previously done.

"How do I _look?_" Billie asked Pinky in a sweet manner, which Zanna thought was quite curious.

"Erm…" Pinky responded, his eyes crossed in a confused manner.

"You look _fine,_" Brain told her, impatient to see the Head.

"I asked _Pinky,_ not _you,_" Billie whispered, crossing her arms and sighing annoyedly.

_This is an interesting turn of events,_ thought Zanna. _She asked_ Pinky's _opinion. I… I thought she fancied_ Brain!

Just before Zanna could wonder any more, the Head of the Lab, who had turned around, noticed the newcomers waiting on the chairs. He walked over in a rushed manner and bent down to view the visitors.

"Ha, you guys are a bit challenged in _height,_ ahem, what do you want?"

"Our receptionist let us in because we wanted to promote some new _polio _vaccines," Brain replied efficiently.

"Ha ha," the Head replied, a little bit more affably, "Well, we could use some of _those,_ come on over to my table and show me what you've _got._"

Excitedly, the four mice clambered down from the chairs, dragging along the cooled vaccines. They struggled a little as they climbed all the way up to the Head's high table top, where they dumped the vaccines and opened the box.

"As my associate says, these are prepared with skill and _love,_" Brain announced reluctantly. "They have been tested to work just as well as all the current vaccines, but are _cheaper_ and are _produced locally."_

"Skill, love, tested, locally, I _like_ the _sound of this!_" the Head replied in a wildly excited manner.

Zanna, meanwhile, shuffled her feet nervously as she contemplated Brain's lie. They had not tested the vaccines _at all. _ They had mixed them in a _mens' cubicle_ for goodness' sake!

Brain continued, "We were only able to bring a small sample with us, of course, but we have all the resources in the Lab to create bulk loads.

"_Bulk loads?_" the Head asked, his eyes nearly popping out with amazement. "That's _fantastic!_ You _must_ have a lot of money on your hands."

"Bill Grates helps us along," the Brain added, laughing and looking at Pinky, who laughed nervously. Zanna wondered at the context of this joke, or fib. Did they know Bill Grates?

"We'll send these out to Africa right away, but if you could send us a few more this week we can give them to some young children here as well. Can't be too careful, you know."

"Of course," replied Brain patronizingly. "It is important to vaccinate _everyone_ all _around _the _world_."

"_My_ thoughts _exactly!_" the Head shouted, clapping his hands together. "All right, you folks run along now. I'll send a delivery man over to you next time this week for the next batch. I understand it's going to be quite small scale for now, just _please,_ produce as much as you can! Bye!"

The four relieved mice were out of the Lab room, stunned and pleased that their plan was going off to such a good start.

"As I implied earlier, people all over the _world_ will be hypnotized to follow my rule, even if they've never seen me before."

"Cool," replied Zanna.

"Good for _you,_" sighed Billie.

"_Zounds_ Brain, how can they worship you even if they don't _know_ about you?" Brain's companion asked.

Brain excitedly answered, "In a few weeks' time, when I am sure that I have produced a large amount of vaccine and allowed others to reproduce them, _I_ shall broadcast my face to children around the world, telling them who I am and that they should _worship me._"

"But most of the children who are receiving the vaccine will be very young," Zanna reminded Brain. "They won't understand your broadcast."

Brain's face fell. "You're right, but then, _some _children who have had _late_ vaccinations will understand me and then they can influence their siblings and friends as they grow older."

"That's going to be a few years, isn't it Brain?" Pinky asked.

Due to Zanna's and Pinky's statements, the Brain was becoming a little more stressed and unsure. He then told them, in as polite a way as possible:

"There's a chance that this plan can work, Pinky and Zanna. Could you please keep your doubts to yourself for now?"

"Oh, all right Brain," Pinky replied sadly.

"I'm sorry, I'll try to be more considerate," Zanna told Brain, perhaps

labouring the point a little.

The four rodents made their way to Acme Labs, hoping that, because they would not have been able to do their experiment, that the cats were long gone. It would be most inconvenient if the cats were _not_ gone, as the mice needed the Lab to prepare their first bulk of vaccines.

"Cats are _scary,_" Billie moaned.

"Apart from Precious, _she's_ friendly!" smiled Pinky.

Zanna was just about to ask who Precious was, when, as they were approaching the Lab entrance, two scientists came out, in a very agitated state. Just in case they were taken for mice (which they of course were), the four hid behind a nearby bush, listening to the scientists' conversation.

"I can't _believe_ we didn't have any mice for our _experiment! _ How could they have _all_ escaped at once?"

"Maybe they're _really_ intelligent and knew that we would perform the experiment on them, so they beat it," the second scientist nervously joked, but was quietened by the other scientist's cold stare in response.

"We _must_ improve cage security in the future. But first, we need to order _new cats_."

The two continued talking, but had walked out of earshot of the eavesdropping rodents.

"Why did he say that they _need new cats,_ you reckon?" Zanna whispered to Brain.

"Probably they thought it was not worth hiring them if there were no mice to take part in the experiment," Brain responded, smiling. "_For now,_ we are safe. But for the long term, I have a plan."

"Yes?" Pinky and Zanna eagerly asked at once.

"Zanna, if… You would do me a favour, please…" Brain began, smiling awkwardly.

"Yes?" Zanna responded seriously.

"I would like you to disguise yourself, tomorrow, as a journalist and animal rights activist. Say that you have heard that the scientists here were going to do an experiment that involved cats hunting and eating mice and that your newspaper does not approve of this. Then, suggest they do not attempt to carry out any of those kind of experiments."

"I get the gist," replied Zanna. "I'll do it _happily._"

"Cheers," Brain smiled. "Come, let's go back inside and begin preparing."

"Oh_ goody,_ NARF!" Pinky shouted with glee as they made their way back "home."


End file.
